August Macke, Donkey Rider
Dismount your donkey at the summit.
Some places in this world are very hard to climb, and people use animals. Each person can only ride one, and each animal might have a different name. The riders go up the trail in different orders, and they discuss their varying opinions about their experiences. They may even have conflicting opinions : One traveler may think the trip thrilling, another may find it terrifying, and a third may find it banal.
At the summit all the travelers stand in the same place. Each of them has the same chance to view the same vistas. The donkeys are put to rest and graze; they are not needed anymore.
We all travel the path of Tao. The donkeys are the various doctrines that each of us embraces. What does it matter which doctrine we embrace as long as it leads us to the summit? Your donkey might be a Zen donkey, mine might be a Tao donkey. There are Christian, Islamic, Jewish, and even Agnostic donkeys. All lead to the same place. Why poke fun at others over the name of their donkey? Aren’t you riding one yourself?
We should put aside both the donkeys and our interim experiences once we arrive at the summit. Whether we climbed in suffering or joy is immaterial; we are there. All religions have different names for the ways of getting to the holy summit. Once we reach the summit, we no longer need names, and we can experience all things directly.
“The entrance into Jerusalem has all the elements of the theatre of the absurd: the poor king; truth comes riding on a donkey; symbolic actions – even parading without a permit!” — David Kirk
“Do you think yourself wise? Then there’s a donkey inside your waistcoat”
— Charles H. Spurgeon
A lot of people, perhaps most, who would say their religion is an end in itself, not a means to achieve spiritual growth. This is pretty sad, in a way, since it means people stop growing spiritually and simply declare they “believe” in whatever their religion is. The problem comes in accepting a belief system unquestioningly, rather than seeing religion as a tool for spiritual growth and enlightenment.
I guess it’s really a question of whether you want to attain the top of the mountain and and enjoy the view, or if you just want to sit around worshipping your ass.
One Response
I loved this on and found your comments to reflect my take on organized religion and dogma. So what is the name of that donkey? Keep up the good work.